A respirator bag is a device using positive pressure to inflate the lungs of an unconscious person who is not breathing or to support shallow ineffective spontaneous breathing, in order to keep him oxygenated and alive. A hand-operable version comprises a face mask and a large hand-squeezed flexible bulb using ambient air, or with supplemental oxygen from a pressurized cylinder or the like.
Conventional artificial respiration bags have a cuff with which the artificial respiration bag is connected to an oxygen feed-line and with which it can be connected to a breathing mask, face mask, larynx tubus, pip-valve, etc.
The manually operated respiration bag is standard equipment in ambulances, operation and emergency rooms, first aid bags, civil and army medics, rescue units and the like.
It is an ever growing requirement to design respirator bags of compact size such that they can be easily carried by emergency professionals and such that a larger number of such units can be stored in a given space.
A variety of respirator bags and components used in conjunction therewith (face masks, one way valves, cuffs, etc.) are known in the art, for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,478 discloses a mouth-to-mask resuscitator which can be carried in a person's pocket consisting of an oronasal mask and a check valve which is inserted into the mask and allows a person to administer artificial ventilation to fill the victim's lung with air and to allow the victim to exhale air through an exit in the valve assembly away from the person administering the resuscitation. The mask is foldable into itself to form a cavity for storing the check valve which has inspiratory and exhalation air flow back pressures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,424 discloses a disposable resuscitator including an elongated, elastically compressible squeeze bag having a first opening, a one-way valve for the intake of oxygen-containing gas into the bag mounted on the first opening, a second opening which is in airtight communication with a valve housing in the form of a transparent pipe having a pipe stub for the attachment of the resuscitator to a facial mask, and an outlet for exhalation air, the tubular valve housing containing a valve including a valve seat and a disc-shaped valve body of an elastomeric material and to having a centrally mounted, projecting guide pin which is axially displaceable in a hole in the valve seat, a body having a central passage forming the outlet for exhalation air being provided in the free end of the transparent pipe, the central passage being surrounded by an annular bead which is located co-axially and in contact with the valve member, the pipe stub for the attachment of the resuscitator to a facial mask extending from the side of the transparent pipe and being in communication with the zone located between the valve member and the body located in the free end of the transparent pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,769 is concerned with a respiration bag having at least one connecting stub, the respiration bag comprising: a bag-shaped hollow body defining a longitudinal axis having a direction; at least one fold region extending annularly over said body; said bag-shaped body being foldable in the direction of said longitudinal axis from a first stable position wherein said hollow body extends smoothly over said fold region to a second stable position wherein said bag-shaped body is bent inwardly in the direction of said axis at said fold region to define an annular fold in said fold region; and, holding means for responding to pressure within said bag-shaped hollow body to hold said hollow body in said second stable state during operational use of said respiration bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,745 discloses a disposable self-inflatable rescue mask comprising a transparent, flexible form-retaining plastic dome-shaped foldable portion having around its peripheral edge an inflatable bladder provided with a built-in self-sealing air valve, which allows the ambient air to flow into the inflatable bladder and self-seals the air in the self-inflated mask which retains its shape firmly, said bladder being shaped to fit around the nose and mouth areas, and effectively seal against the patient's face; and a blow-in tube disposed in an opening at the apex of the dome is provided with a mouthpiece for delivery of expired air to the patient. The mask is packaged in a carrying case comprising two similar parts to form a container which is shaped to receive said deflated mask in a flattened and folded state, and sealed with a closure means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,923 discloses a manually operable resuscitator bag of one-piece construction having a generally elongated football shape, an inlet at one said end, and an outlet at the other end, fold-rings in each end portion having walls of reduced thickness, whereby the ends may be telescoped, ridges of thickened wall section between the fold-rings, the center of the bag having a wall thickness equal to the thickness of said ridges in the tapering ends between the fold-rings, and longitudinal ribs formed on the outer surface of the center of the bag spaced around the circumference, providing increased resiliency and a rapid recovery for the shape of the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,357 relates to a disposable respirator mask.